Last week I was having lunch with an old colleague and friend who is now enjoying a life of semi-retirement. In his retirement, he is doing some consulting and one of his most recent adventures was helping one of his clients hire a personal assistant. I could not help fantasizing about what life would be like if I could afford my own personal assistant to handle all those tasks and duties that either I do, or they get shuffled aside or slip off the plate and remain undone…
The personal assistant he was helping to hire was to help coordinate schedules, arrange travel plans, “interface” with various service companies and individuals, process some accounts payable and all sorts of other daily duties. Boy, could I use someone like that! Could you imagine how fabulous running a business and family would be if you had the perfect, efficient and hard-working sidekick? OMG (as my girls write in e-mails and instant messages)! What bliss! What perfection! What ease!
While listening to him chat over our clam chowder and salads, I pictured myself ever-so-efficiently dictating tasks and delegating responsibilities. I imagined my assistant letting me know which appointments I had on my schedule and fielding phone calls and teenagers’ requests so I could have uninterrupted time to write and work. In my brief lunch-time fantasy, I also imagined my assistant bringing me lunch, folding laundry and even cleaning out the litter box (okay, maybe I got a little carried away.) I was dying to ask just how much the average personal assistant got paid these days, but figured it was probably more than I make with all my myriad jobs and I’d slip into the pits of despair if I knew the truth.
I know that the chances of me having a personal assistant are about as likely as my winning the lottery (I know, I know, it COULD happen), but it sure felt lovely to have the brief daydream about how fabulous and professional I could be…if only…
See Also: Would You Rather Have a Cook, a Housekeeper or a Nanny?